Troy Thompson reports on the latest release from the state Department of Labor & Industry regarding the Pennsylvania Unemployment Rate:

Pennsylvania’s seasonally adjusted civilian labor force — the number of people working or looking for work — decreased by 12,000 in November to 6,328,000. Resident unemployment dropped 22,000 in November, while employment was up 10,000. The Pennsylvania labor force was down 105,000 over the year.

Pennsylvania jobs were down 167,200, or 2.9 percent, since November 2008. And of the 11 job sectors, eight lost jobs in November, with the largest losses in professional and business services, leisure and hospitality and government. Nationally, jobs were down 3.5 percent over the same period.

Pennsylvania’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell to 8.5 percent in November, down four-tenths of a percentage point from the revised October rate of 8.9 percent – the first drop in the state unemployment rate since March 2007.

Pennsylvania remained below the United States’ unemployment rate, which fell two-tenths of a percentage point to 10 percent in November. Pennsylvania’s rate was up 2.4 percentage points from November 2008, while the U.S. rate was up 3.2 percentage points over the year.

Pennsylvania’s seasonally adjusted total nonfarm jobs count fell by 10,200 jobs in November. Of Pennsylvania’s 11 sectors, eight saw a reduction in jobs in November, with the largest declines in professional & business services, leisure & hospitality, and government. Education & health services reached a new record high job count of 1,133,300, while construction added 1,900 jobs – its biggest gain in 22 months.

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1 Comment

Olga Daric

Posted January 16, 2010 at 2:37 AM

Here is the truth over all. The FL Unemployment office is forcing yes forcing their employees to work a minimum of 60 hours a week. Instead of hiring more people on a part-time or temporary basis to take care of the over load from both ends, they are over working there current staff to the point of forcing them to work a minimum of 100 cases a week. One of the Fort Lauderdale executives send an internal email demanding the staff worked a minimum of 50hrs, because he is not allowed to demand such a request is against contract, he retracted sending a request for 100cases per week. When hired adjudicators are required to work an average of 66 cases in 40 hours.
What does that mean to the public? Why should that matter to the unemployed?
Adjudicators are supposed to perform a complete investigation on each case contacting both parties and allowing 48 hours for response. We all know that rushing and pressure only creates mistakes. Well mistakes are being made on a regular basis in the adjudication offices in Florida. In June of 2008 the other Fort Lauderdale executive had a meeting with all adjudication staff in which it was discuss quantity vs quality. Meaning numbers is what matters how many cases can U work in one week. Never mind that cases are not numbers cases are people with names and families and mortgages what we do affects people on a personal level. Two months ago a man who was denied of his unemployment benefits went on a killing spree to his old job. In that case in particular maybe there was no mistake made but how many others we don’t hear about, who don’t make the news hang themselves in the garage on a mistake that we made because numbers is all we can see because amounts is all that matters? I bet you a million dollars that if we were review by the Feds right now we wouldn’t even made 80% of the quality standard we are required to meet because there is no time.
So here are the rules of thumb;
We all have the right as working Americans to file for unemployment that doesn’t mean you are entitled to receive benefits.
The employer is the only one who pays tax insurance for unemployment purposes.
In a discharge/termination the employer has to prove misconduct by the employee for the employee to be denied. Misconduct is determined based on the agreement at the time of hire.
In a voluntary quit/resignation the employee has to prove reasonable reasons to end employment. Reasonable is determined based on the agreement at the time of hire or any adjustments after for which the employee agreed and under which performed work for employee to be approved.
Claimants/employees are required by law to be able and available for work, no exceptions, and to prove it providing a work search record at the request of the Agency.
So my fellow Floridians good luck, God speed and I truly hope this helps.